Output work file named based on macro loop iteration

[Tyler_G]

Hi there,

I have a double nested macro loop and at the end of each iteration I want to output the resulting work file and at the same time have it named so that I know which iteration of each loop it is at. I can do it so that I have either &I or &J in the name but not both...

Code looks something like this:

%MACRO LOOP;
%DO I = 1 %TO 1;
%DO J = 1 %TO 1;

*CALCULATIONS AND STEPS IN HERE;

DATA HAVE;
SET HAVE;
*CALCULATIONS IN HERE
RUN; QUIT;

%END;
%END;
%MEND LOOP;

So what I want is multiple output files (using the data I have after each loop) that are named "LOOP_-1_+1", "LOOP_-3_+2" etc...

Thanks!!!

[Shmuel]

Try addapt the macro as:

%MACRO LOOP;
%DO I = 1 %TO 1;
%DO J = 1 %TO 1;
 
*CALCULATIONS AND STEPS IN HERE;

/* calculate previous I, J values */ 
%let m = &i;
%let n = &j;
%if &n > 1 %then %let n = %eval(&n - 1); 
%else %do;
      %if &i > 1 %then %do;
            %let n = %TO;
            %let m = %eval(&i -1);
      %end;
%end;

DATA HAVE&i&j;
%if &i=1 and &j=1 %then %do; SET HAVE; %end;
%else %do; SET HAVE&m&n; %end;

*CALCULATIONS IN HERE
RUN; QUIT;
 
%END;
%END;
%MEND LOOP;

[Reeza]

You can't have negatives and positives in your names. You can include them in the labels if you want. 

[Astounding · Accepted solution]

Because your loop re-uses HAVE, the easiest way would be to copy over the output at the end of the loop.  Instead of a QUIT statement, replace that with:

data loop_&i._&j.;

set have;

run;

**********************************

EDITED:  An even better idea.

Really, you only need to change one line of code.  Right now your program includes:

DATA HAVE;

Change this line to read:

data have loop_&i._&j.;

[Tyler_G]

Worked perfectlyI Thanks! 🙂